


Tonight, I Need You to Stay

by gayunsolved



Category: Game Grumps, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Fluff, Gentleness, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Past Relationship(s), This is just a post split fic because I want Ross to be happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 20:12:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16070450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayunsolved/pseuds/gayunsolved
Summary: It's difficult to get used to being the only one in your bed after years of having a solid form next to you. Ross can't cope.





	Tonight, I Need You to Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Title from The Run and Go by Twenty One Pilots.
> 
> Yes, I know that Ross and Holly JUST announced their split, and I wrote this very immediately. I know, I'm the worst. I want the best for them both, and my way of showing that is writing a fic where Ross gets the comfort and emotional support he deserves. Anywayyyyy, I hope you enjoy!

When you’ve had another body sleeping next to yours for so long, the world seems off balance with an empty bed. Ross was feeling the pervasive cold of being alone in his bed more than ever after he and Holly split. The dip in the bed where she had once slept made it impossible to sleep. The split was inevitable, Ross knew, and he was so much happier now, but that didn’t erase the strangeness of sleeping alone. It did nothing to ease the need for warmth in his bedroom to get him through the night. The trouble with being married for so long is that you lose sight of who you would allow to sleep in your bed. You always assume that you’ll never need another bedmate, that you’ll share the sheets with the one you love the most. And Ross did love Holly, unbelievably much, for a while. They were still good friends, still on good terms, but not good enough to sleep in the same room. Ross was hurting, exhausted and cold. 

When the doorbell to his apartment rang, Ross was eating cereal on the couch, lost in a sleep deprived stupor. “M’coming,” he called, his accent slipping ever so slightly with his exhaustion. When he tried to think of who could be at the door, Ross’ mind was blank. As soon as he opened the door, though, his mind and heart were flooded with emotions. Standing in the fluorescent lights of the hallway was Barry, wearing a black rain jacket and dragging a small suitcase behind him. He was soaking wet, but his spirits seemed to be dry.

“I didn’t want you to be alone right now.”

“You came all the way from...from San Francisco…”

“Arin called me.” Barry smiled softly. “I got the first train I-”

Barry was cut off by Ross embracing him tightly, ignoring the rain dripping from his hair and clothing. They’d been standing in the doorway for several moments before Barry realized Ross was crying, adding to the dampness of his jacket. Gently, careful not to run into anything, Barry stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. 

“Ross,” he began, voice soft, “Ross, buddy, let me take off my jacket and we can sit down and talk, okay?”

Ross nodded and let go for a minute. After stripping down to a t-shirt, which seemed mostly dry, Barry took hold of Ross’ shaky hand and sat him down. 

“I know, bud, it’s really hard. I wanted to come keep you company for a while, if that’s okay.”

“O-of course it’s okay, it’s more than okay,” Ross snuffled, leaning into Barry’s shoulder with a gentle sob. His hands absentmindedly balled into Barry’s shirt, and Barry reached up to hold them. “I’m just...just not used to,” Ross paused to wipe his nose on the sleeve of his hoodie, “I’m not used to being alone in here, I always...always expect the birds to be making noise or H-Holly to be singing to herself...I’m so-” he let out a sob “-I’m so lonely…”

“I know, Ross, I know. Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Barry’s voice was smooth and low, just right. “I’m here now, okay? I know I’m not Holly, not what you need, but I’ll do what I can, alright?”

“Thank you, Bear. I-I owe you.”

“Don’t worry, it’s what best friends do.”

“I love you,” Ross blurted out.

“I love you too,” Barry responded with a warm smile. “I love you all the time, when you’re hurting, when you’re hurting me with Mario Maker levels, all the time. And if I can be any help, tell me.”

Ross hugged Barry again, lingering with his face pressed to Barry’s shoulder, breathing in the scent of rain and something unique to Barry’s skin. It didn’t feel fair to ask Barry to kiss him, to hold him to his chest and play with his hair. All the same, Ross couldn’t help wanting it, suddenly overwhelmed by a flood of feelings for Barry that were long hidden under history with Holly. It didn’t feel right to ask for it, especially since Barry would just assume he was just rebounding, that it meant nothing. That was a knife between his ribs. 

“Ross?”

“Mm?” Ross didn’t move.

“You alright?”

“Yeah...just thinking...I miss being loved.” 

Barry swallowed what he wanted to say, the confession of a long lived and long ignored crush, and simply held Ross tighter. “What can I do?”

Ross opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Orph mewling loudly. Ross, in his sleepless state, had forgotten to feed him. Barry let out a soft, sweet chuckle. “I mean, if you want to feed Orph, you can,” Ross murmured against Barry’s chest. 

“You’re lucky I love you so much, Ross,” Barry chuckled as he rose to get food for Ross’ beloved cat.

“I know, I’m so lucky. I need you so fucking much.” Ross wasn’t thinking when he let the words slip, and it took a second for him to realize what he had accidentally let go. “I mean-”

“It’s okay, you’re still reeling from the split. I get it. I’m here.”

Ross, never one to have a filter, couldn’t stop himself from going on. “No, it’s not like that, I mean, I need...I need you to sleep next to me, or, or…” 

Barry turned back to the couch, his facial expression one of gentle concern. Ross dissolved into tears again, losing all composure. Barry sat once more, taking Ross’ hand in his own, rubbing little circles into his palm. Abandoning caution in favor of comforting his best friend, Barry placed a soft kiss on the crown of Ross’ head, pushing aside the sandy hair with his free hand. The Australian looked up with puffy eyes, meeting Barry’s adoring gaze. 

“Barry...can I kiss you?”

Barry didn’t even answer, instead opting to close the distance and brush his lips against Ross’ with no urgency, only careful love. He knew it was just a result of Ross being unused to being alone, but the warmth of his friend’s body felt like home for some inexplicable reason. Barry hadn’t kissed someone in a long time. This wasn’t a perfect reintroduction to it; Ross tasted like snot and morning breath. Nonetheless, he allowed himself to be drawn in. 

“Barry,” Ross mumbled when they finally broke apart. 

“Yeah, Ross?”

“M’sorry for making this weird. I...I don’t know how to explain it...I just missed having someone on the other side of the bed. Holly was so warm and solid and I just...need that. And you...you’re my best friend, Bear. I love you more than, than anything.”

“Hey, hey. Slow down, Ross. S’not weird. I’m not gonna pretend it didn’t mean anything on my side, but I get that you just need someone.”

“I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else, though.”

“You...you wouldn’t have?”

“Of course not, Bear,” Ross whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, Ross. Come on, let’s get you into bed.”

“Whoa, buy me dinner first,” Ross retorted, regaining a touch of his usual sass. 

“You’re the worst, and I love you.”

With that, Barry helped Ross amble to his bed and laid down next to him, not bothering to change out of his jeans. Ross curled into Barry’s side, holding on for dear life until his breathing slowed with the arrival of sleep. Warmed both inside and out by Ross, Barry drifted off, dreaming of the touch of Ross’ lips against his a thousand times over. 

At some point during the night, Ross woke Barry with a gentle shake. 

“S’everything okay?” Barry asked, words slurred slightly with sleep. 

“Yeah, just wanted to thank you.”

“Course, Ross.”

“I love you, Bear.”

“I love you too, Ross, now go back to sleep. I’ll be right here.”

**Author's Note:**

> What did you guys think? Comment or whatever. I swear to god I will write my sequel soon. And finish Starving Faithful. I promise.


End file.
